Second month back into the job and yet again there is no sight of a slow ease into the new season..no sooner do we wave goodbye to Autumn/Winter sales season when up pops the Spring/Summer 2008 season.. with aching toes and a pounding head I have desperately tried to get a grasp on the highlights of Pure and Moda but I have also managed to wrap up the largest international shows in the MICAM and GDS previews too.

The latest deliberations from the KPMG/SPSL Retail Think Tank (RTT), the body of leading industry figures set up to provide a non-partisan guide to the state of UK retail, reveal that over Quarter 2 2007, as it had forecast, the state of the health of retailing, based on the three key signifiers of Demand, Margins and Costs, deteriorated and is set to decline further in the next quarter. The negative pressures, particularly on Demand and Margins, which were just beginning to be felt in Quarter 2 will amplify and hit retailers even harder in Quarter 3.

Leading brand house Pentland Brands has cut its carbon footprint and upped its service levels thanks to an Advanced distribution service. The company, which owns brands such as Speedo, Ellesse, Berghaus, Mitre, Red or Dead and Boxfresh, has consolidated its bulk delivery operation in the UK.

Shoe manufacturer Grensons Shoes is celebrating its success today after winning a learndirect Achievement Award at the East Midlands Regional Awards Ceremony. The company, based in Rushden, Northants won the East Midlands Region Company Award, which recognises businesses who have used learndirect to offer training to their staff.

On June 27th, 28th, and 29th, the International Golf Championship of the Shoe, Leather and Allied Trades was played at the Vale Hotel Golf and Spa Resort, on the Hensol Castle Estate in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Agility Fairs & Events Malaysia picked up the prestigious International Exhibition Logistics Associates (IELA) Best Onsite Agent Award at the IELA Congress 2007 held recently in Santiago, Chile. The company’s Thailand and Singapore offices came second and third respectively. Agility Fairs & Events Singapore also won the third place in the Best Export Agent category.

Surf Shop 2007 is gearing up to open its doors from 4th- 6th September with a host of companies and new brands lining up to showcase the latest products on offer to the boardriding industry. For those looking for fresh surf, skate & street footwear lines, as well as fashion, hardware and funky accessories a visit to Surf Shop 2007 will be time well spent.

The UK company Corium Solutions Ltd, specialists in the chemical protection, finish and aftercare of leather material and products, has just expanded its global operations to China. With its head office in the Midlands, the company opened its first factory in Asia in Dongguan City, Guangdon Province, China earlier this month (July).

International Footwear and Leather Goods Week, SIPIEL, is continuing the preparations for its forthcoming edition, which will take place between Thursday 27th September and Saturday 29th September 2007 in the halls at Feria de Madrid. In the same way as at previous editions, various complementary activities will coincide with the trade exhibition over a period of several days.

British shoemaker Clarks is said to be planning a major international push, according to media reports. The company, which employs 12,000 employees worldwide, is said to be driving international growth to combat a slowdown in profitability in the UK market. Profits in the year ended 31 January 2007 dropped to £69.4 million, down from £71.9 million the year before. Revenues, meanwhile, rose from £921.4 million to £972.7 million.

Born out of the union between the spirit of adventure that has always distinguished the Land Rover brand, and the creative genius of the designer Alberto Del Biondi, the new Accessories range form Landrover Draws inspiration from the world of nature.

Paris Hilton will launch a signature footwear line with the Antebi Footwear Group in early 2008. The company hopes to capture Hilton’s “cutting-edge style” with flats, heels and sporty options. Hilton said the Antebi Footwear group was a perfect match for her shoe line.

Athletic footwear isn’t just about technology and performance. The growth of the ath-leisure shoe (an athletic shoe with comfort and fashion stylings) is a trend that has been building for the past few years and is highly visible at the WSA Show. The WSA Show, the largest global footwear and accessories trade show in the world, opened today in Las Vegas and runs until August 1, 2007, at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC).

Levi’s® gives a second life to worn-out jeans by turning them into stylish shoes Since their invention by Levi Strauss in 1873, millions and millions of pairs of Levi's® Jeans have had a long and adventurous existence.

Magnum, the global leaders in certified safety uniform footwear, are proud to announce a new sponsorship deal with the Wales Air Ambulance. The Wales Air Ambulance is a registered charity and receives no government funding. The service provided depends totally on the generosity of the people of Wales and the public it serves, either by selling merchandise in their dedicated charity shops, to shaking collection boxes outside supermarkets and having its own dedicated lottery.

As heavy rain struck the country last week, leading Hereford based discount retailer M and M Direct experienced severe flooding of their warehouse and call centre, resulting in an operational closure for four days.

Terra Plana .have launched a new range called 'Sole of Africa' as a side project of the Soul of Africa, to help support AIDS orphans in South Africa. Unemployed local women are taught to handpaint the shoes, so each pair is a unique edition, and £3 of every pair will be donated to charity. The range will be available in time for Christmas.

I have been involved recently in some major quality issues for some well known, respected and established footwear importers, retailers and brands. The problems have ranged from nails in the insole resulting in a serious injury claim from the parents of an injured child, to product recalls and bulk return to manufacturers due to the dropping off of embelishments in both wear and in the shoe boxes in the shop on ladies footwear and the rapid disintigration and wear of the top piece on a ladies styrene wedge style.

Small businesses don't usually look towards the House of Lords for guidance on how they can organise their tax affairs but their Lordships' recent decision in the Long-running - some six years - saga of the 'Arctic Systems' case has been very helpful in that regard. So what was it all about, how can husband and wife businesses use the decision to validate their tax planning and is there a danger the tax rules will be changed in the future?

The other day I sold a pair of Crocs. Nothing odd about that - they are deservedly very popular - but as I put the money in the till I fell to musing about the things our customers put on their feet, and the way they change over the years.

Triggerfish does not just have an unusual name. This is the brand set to revolutionise the male slippers market and change it for the better. Not only are they comfortable and soft on hardworking feet... but they are so very stylish men will simply never want to take them off.

During those years the words fashion and aristocracy became the key word for success. With great names of Simonetta Visconti di Cesaro. Biki, Irene Galitizine, Cesare Guidi and above all Emilio Pucci di Barsento.

Moda Footwear, running from 12th to 14th August is a national favourite with buyers across the sector. The event captures the essence of footwear in this country- a brand mix of high fashion, trend driven, comfort and sports wear with a good range of price points.

This exhibition has proved again that value for the independent retailer is not to be found in footwear at the lowest price - but rather in footwear with that point of difference. MOSHULU has seen a huge increase in volumes of their higher priced top quality Italian spring shoes - styles like Bree (featured) Laila & Madison - following on from a successful launch last season. The sell through has been the best ever with none of these styles hitting the SALE period.

Following the success of its 2007 spring/summer range, which achieved a 151 per cent increase in year-on-year sales, leading designer of wider fitting fashionable footwear for women, Emotion, is receiving an enthusiastic reaction to its 2008 collection, not only from existing outlets but from new accounts as well.

There is a plethora of children's shoe manufacturers out there all vying for position in their niche. Once in a while, amidst all the wannabe's a manufacturer emerges that would appear to have everything. Garvalin is no new kid on the block though, based in the traditional shoe making area of south-east Spain they have been refining their craft for 35 years.

Pure has improved its reputation within the fashion sector to become that "must-see" event for retailers and buyers all over the country.

Noel, the French children's shoe manufacturer, has been making shoes since 1925, when the company was founded by two brothers. For spring 2008 Noel has produced an excellent range of modern styles in outstanding colours. The adjustable sandal collection gives excellent fit along with superbly soft leathers. For boys highly ventilated shoes with robust toecaps offer rugged protection with style.

GDS and GLS, the International Event for Shoes, Leather Goods and more will be held in Dusseldorf from 14th to 18th September this year. After a difficult few years for the show, as increased European competition prevails, what have the organsiers got planned for the event this year?

One of the most important showcases for the finest designers and manufacturers in Europe, The Kensington Shoe Event may be a compact show, but it is well worth a visit. The idea for this event, held in the Royal Borough of Kensington, at the beautiful Kensington Close Hotel, is to retain a varied mix of medium to high grade products that suits the target buyer who visits the show, namely boutique and independents, who are not fond of the bustle and over crowdedness of the large international exhibition.

The footwear produced in the Guglielmo Rotta factory is 100% ITALIAN in both style and content. In recent years, the Design Team has become more ambitious and included higher fashion concepts in the collection, without ever forgetting the excellent fitting for which the brand is rightly known.

The Micam ShoeEvent takes place this season from the 20th-23rd September 2007at the Fiera Milano in Milan, Italy. The event has rapidly become a "must see" expedition for buyers and retailers worldwide and, located in the heart of Milan offers a beautiful, accessible setting to showcase footwear from all sides of the world and all areas of the industry.

DB Shoes Ltd have been busy raising their profile internationally, and so far 2007 has seen them going places! This year saw the Northamptonshire-based company deciding to give their already successful UK brand 'easy b' greater international exposure, as DB's Chris Payne explains:

“The Reaction has been absolutely fantastic” Smith explains, freshly emerged from the launch of the Redfoot Revolution and the aptly named After Party Shoe “We are now in a position where we have to streamline and limit which retailers order the shoes, there have been so many requests for the range. We honestly could not hope for more.”

INSOLVENCY DETAILS

Message Date: 5 June 2007
Registered Number: 01681547
Subject: SHICO INDUSTRIAL FOOTWEAR LTD
The Companies House document dated Tue May 22, 2007 published the following public record information against the subject: Appointment of Liquidator for Voluntary Winding-up.